Eliza Park International bought five mares at the Keeneland November Sale before bloodstock adviser David O’Callaghan outlaid another 260,000gns for an Exceed And Excel mare at the Tattersalls December Sale last week.

Topping the Keeneland shopping list at $150,000 was Sahm mare Mabadi, the dam of this year’s LR Prix Omnium winner Salai (Myboycharlie). She was sold in foal to More Than Ready.

Eliza Park International also purchased Fee Fi Fo Fum (Giant’s Causeway) with a PPT to More Than Ready. She was Group 2 placed at Gulfstream Park and cost $85,000.

Other mares knocked down to EPI were Inventive (Dixie Union) with a PPT to Bernardini for $80,000, Amature’s Prize (Pure Prize) with a PPT to Pioneerof the Nile for $80,000 and Comanche Princess (Indian Charlie) with a PPT to Super Saver for $75,000.

At the world-renowned Tattersalls December Sale, O’Callaghan bid 260,000gns (AUD 510,385) for LR Newmarket Montrose Stakes winner Pure Excellence. She is a daughter of Darley shuttler Exceed And Excel and was sold in foal to Oasis Dream.

“We really liked her and she has a great covering,” O’Callaghan said. “She will foal down here at our northern hemisphere operation. We might sell the Oasis Dream as a foal or yearling or retain to race.”

Eliza Park International stallions continued their winning run on Saturday with Liberty’s Gem (Statue Of Liberty) claiming the G3 Sir Ernest Lee-Steere Classic at Ascot while Backstedt (Magnus) and Sang Choi Bao (Bel Esprit) completing a double at Sandown Hillside.

Adelaide trainer Phillip Stokes chimed in with two year-old grey filly Invincible Jules. A $60,000 EPI graduate from the 2014 Adelaide Magic Millions, she bolted in when facing the starter for the first time at Morphettville on Saturday.

Written Tycoon is closing out a ground-breaking year in style for Woodside Park Stud.

His Mornington based sprinter Danger Close won the LR Doveton Stakes (1000m) at Sandown on Saturday and will now be set for the G3 Standish Hcp (1200m) at Flemington on New Year’s Day.

Danger Close (5g Written Tycoon – Galactic Honour by Honours List) is based on the Mornington peninsula and the victory over Mr Make Believe (Commands) and Eight Bills (Octagonal) improved his record to 6 wins in 22 starts.

“He’s best ridden cold before hitting the line,” trainer Jason Warren explained. “He’s very good down the Flemington straight and he’s settling a lot better these days.”

Danger Close became the 7th stakes winner by Written Tycoon on Saturday. This year’s race was named the Emma Booth Xmas Cup after the Victorian para-equestrian who is aiming to represent Australia at the 2016 Paralympic Games in Rio de Janeiro.

He cost $36,000 at the 2011 Inglis Melbourne Autumn yearling sale through Northern Lodge. Warren went back and bought his younger sister at Oaklands Junction this year and she has been named Sister Close.

Lightly-raced four year-old Tycoon Tara completed a running double for Written Tycoon at Sandown. The Warrnambool mare had won at her home track and Dunkeld on either side of a 10 month spell before graduating to a city victory in the Maurice Blackburn Lawyers Hcp (1300m).

Written Tycoon started the year with a record-breaking $240,000 colt at the 2014 Gold Coast Magic Millions in January. Then his break-out colt Rich Enuff emerged in the spring to win the G2 Danehill Stakes and G3 Guineas Prelude prior to a gutsy second in the G1 Caulfield Guineas.

Woodside Park moved quickly to sign him up for stud duties at Tylden. “We believe he’s a horse on the rise,” general manager Murray Tillett said. “He’s only had 6 starts and has the capacity to keep developing during a Group 1 campaign in the autumn.”

Written Tycoon has 8 yearlings entered for the 2015 Gold Coast Magic Millions headed by Lot 540 – the younger brother to that $240,000 colt. Now named Royalic, he was labelled “professional and precocious type” by trainer Mark Riley during a promising first prep.

The great run for Darley sire Reset continued at Ascot on Saturday when his daughter Real Charm won the LR Jungle Dawn Classic (1400m) and his son Disposition went down a half-head in the G1 Kingston Town Classic (1800m).

Real Charm (4m Reset – Purfect Size by Catbird) was coming off a runaway restricted victory and had to dig deep to claim her first success at black-type level. “She wasn’t really well-placed over 1400 metres today,” trainer Adam Durrant admitted. “If it wasn’t a Listed race, we wouldn’t have backed her up.

“She can be a bit of a tart and keeps us on our toes at home. But she puts everything into whatever she does and, with that pedigree, will be one of our top mares in 12 months.”

Real Charm is a full sister to G2 WA Derby winner Mystic Prince and she will now head to the LR Starstruck Classic (1600m) and La Trice Classic (1800m). The stakes-winning pair are the first two foals out of Purfect Size who has visited Reset exclusively in six seasons at stud.

Their unraced 3yo brother is named Hidden Account and is with Jason Pateman at Keysbrook.

Reset has sired 28 stakes winners and has moved into the Top 5 of the Australian premiership with earnings of $2.88 million. He stands at Darley’s Northwood Park base at Seymour for a $16,500 (inc gst) service fee.

Liam Birchley’s promising sprinter Three Beers Please banked his first cheque for charity in the CV Services Maiden Plate (1350m) at Doomben on Friday.

Birchley has trained 10 winners from his last 20 starters and he reckons there’s more ahead for the son of Swettenham Stud sire Kaphero. “He dug in when they came at him in the straight and it was a good effort. He’s still very green and is going to make into a nice horse when we can ride him in behind from a nice barrier.”

Three Beers Please (4g Kaphero – Flying Love by St. Covet) was backing up a fortnight after finishing second to Tanzanite on debut at Sunshine Coast. He is owned by Hamilton Hotel managers Steve Searles and Tim Osborne on behalf of a syndicate at the iconic pub which is just a short walk from Eagle Farm.

“You Beauty! Liam was confident he would run a good race,” Searles said after the win. “Approximately $6,000 from the prizemoney will be going to the Kids Christmas Appeal Charity. Liam donates half of his percentage, too.

“We’re so close to the racetracks and do a lot of charity functions through the course of a year and felt it was time we made racing a part of that.”

Three Beers Please is the final foal of Flying Love but a Swettenham link with the family continues through her Adelaide winner La Poupee (Dash for Cash). Her first foal – an Americain colt – arrived on November 1.

The Doomben victory completed a winning double for Kaphero on Friday. His three year-old Heza Dude won a Mornington maiden after being placed in all six starts before the breakthrough.

Kaphero started the week on a winning note after Swing With Me scored first-up in the Lickety Split (975m) at Swan Hill. Trainer Kym Hann said the mare was “as fat as a whale” but she still shattered the course record clocking 54.89s.

Swing With Me will be nominated to make it 5 wins from her last 6 starts at Flemington next Saturday.

She was sold in foal to Equiano on an April cover to leading agent David Redvers whose clients include Sheikh Fahad al Thani. The Qatar Racing principal raced several first-crop Equiano two year-olds this year and supplied his first stakes winner with Dark Reckoning in the G3 Firth of Clyde Stakes.

Regent’s Park received a timely update when her two year-old filly Hassah won a Listowel maiden second time out by 7 lengths in September. The Paul Deegan-trained daughter of Halling had been well-beaten on debut in the LR Flame Of Tara Stakes at the Curragh.

“People thought I was losing my marbles when I ran Hassah at the Curragh but it was too bad to be true and she barely broke out of a canter,” said Deegan. “I think it was a case of stage-fright although the cheek-pieces certainly helped at Listowel. She’s a very smart filly.”

Hassah is raced by the UAE Ambassador to Ireland, Khalid Nasser Rashid Lootah.

Earlier at the Tattersalls December Foal Sale, an Equiano changed hands for 35,000gns (AUD 68,710). His weanling filly from Majoune (Take Risks) was consigned by Newsells Park and was knocked down to agent Margaret O’Toole.

Majoune is the dam of four winners including German Group 3 winner Majounes Song (Singspiel).

O’Toole had spent AUD 65,910 for a first-crop Equiano – Fame Is The Spur weanling at the 2012 Tattersalls Foal Sale. He was pin-hooked for AUD 118,360 at the 2013 Goffs Orby Yearling Sale and his value kept increasing when – racing as Lightning Stride – he won at Leicester in May for Sheikh Fahad al Thani.

Equiano kicked off the Tattersalls December Yearling Sale with a 50,000gns (AUD 97,685) colt from Impressible (Oasis Dream). He is a younger brother to Dark Reckoning and was purchased by Rabbah Bloodstock which manages the racing interests of friends and business associates of Sheikh Mohammed.

Newsells Park will welcome Equiano back to England next month after his fourth southern book at Swettenham Stud. “He has made a very promising start at stud with three Group performers already,” Newsells general manager Julian Dollar said. “As one would expect from a horse who was at his best at three and five years old, his runners look like they are improving with time and showing encouraging signs for their classic year.”

Victorian bred mare Arcetri Pink has returned to form with a four-length victory in the G2 Ipi Tombe Challenge (1600m) at Turffontein.

The writing was on the wall at the 300 metre marker when Gavin Lerena shopped for room and then scythed through a gap for a comprehensive victory over Pine Princess.

Arcetri Pink (4m Rock Of Gibraltar – Arcetri by Galileo) was bred by Hill Holme Lodge at Boneo on the Mornington peninsula and was sold for $45,000 through Millford Thoroughbreds at the 2012 Inglis Premier yearling sale.

A winner of the G3 Pretty Polly Stakes at two and G2 Gauteng Fillies Guineas as a three year-old, her career stats also includes Group 1 placings in the Garden Province Stakes and Empress Club Stakes.

Arcetri Pink is trained by Geoff Woodruff and has earned over R1.36 million (AUD 145,750) for owners Ray Bisnath and Asogen Pillay.

Hill Holme owner Bob Tayton also bred her dam Arcetri and retained her for stud after she went amiss following a Rosehill trial win in May 2006. She is a half-sister to Camena who was Group 2 winner in Sydney (Light Fingers Stakes) and Melbourne (Mercedes-Benz Sprint).

Arcetri has visited Eliza Park International stallions in recent years. “The mare has a 3yo Bel Esprit filly with Geoff Woodruff in South Africa,” Tayton said. “We retained her 2yo colt by Statue Of Liberty and she’s been served by Fighting Sun this season.”

Artie Schiller’s USA based colt Fantasize is destined for stakes company according to trainer Mike Stidham.

The Louisiana youngster won a Fair Grounds 1600m maiden on turf for Stidham and owner Terry Hamilton second-up last week. He cost $30,000 at the 2013 Fasig-Tipton Kentucky July Sale.

“We bought him as a yearling as we had had some luck with the Artie Schillers through Dorsett and Hammers Terror,” Stidham explained. “We saw this yearling at the sale and liked him quite a bit. He’s a little bit of a late developer, as far as two-year-olds go, but he showed a great acceleration to win that maiden.”

Fantasize (2c Artie Schiller – Fantastic Promise by Fantastic Light) was coming off a fifth in his debut over 1800m at Keeneland. “That distance wasn’t ideal first time but it gave him the experience he needed,” Stidham reflected. “He’s matured quite a bit and has a big-reaching stride.”

Fair Grounds does not have a turf stakes for his division until the Black Gold Stakes (1500m) on February 28 so Fantasize will venture to Florida for a suitable black-type events at Tampa Bay Downs or Gulfstream Park.

He is a half-brother to winner by Lemon Drop Kid and Mizzen Mast from the family of Promontory Gold (Gone West) who was exported to Malaysia in 2009 after six seasons in Victoria.

Swettenham Stud graduate Starlight Lady is on track for the Group 2 Perth Cup after breaking a frustrating losing streak in Western Australia.

Starlight Lady (Fantastic Light) won Saturday’s Tony Carter Memorial (2200m) by a half-length from Young Lionel. The runner-up is a son of Swettenham’s Victoria Derby winner Blackfriars.

The Karen Kersley trained stayer has won 9 races and over $333,000 since Swettenham sold her for $32,000 as a weanling at the Magic Millions National Foal Sale. “She should have won last year’s Kalgoorlie Cup instead of finishing second to Shaun O’Donnell and Classique Ivory,” Kersley claimed. “She doesn’t need a lot of racing and her final run before the Perth Cup will be in the Cox Stakes.”

Starlight Lady has been unplaced in two previous Perth Cup attempts behind Black Tycoon (2014) and Talent Show (2013).

There’s another Swettenham link to the Perth mare through her half-sister Noetic (Cape Cross). She was stakes-placed as a two year-old at Flemington and Swettenham owner Adam Sangster had her covered by Starspangledbanner this season.

Following the AFL Grand Final on September 27, there were 17 Group 1 races during the spring carnival contested between Trust In A Gust’s victory in the Sir Rupert Clark Stakes and Hucklebuck’s win in the Emirates Stakes (1600m) on the last day of the Melbourne Cup week.

Victoria and New South Wales tied with the winners of 5 Group 1 events each but, with just 23% of the Australian foal crop, Victoria was a clear winner over NSW which supplies 45% of our nation’s foals.

New Zealand (3) and Overseas stallions (3) were next best followed by South Australia (1).

“Spring racing in Melbourne is the most competitive carnival, by far, in Australia,” TBV president James O’Brien said. “For Victorian stallions to finish on par with NSW on the Group 1 table, with just half the number of their foals, is proof we are heading in the right direction.”

Victoria’s stallion fees are also value for money compared to the six-figures sums demanded by Hunter Valley studs.

Keep The Faith stands for $4,400 at Greta West Stud, Reset is available for a $16,500 fee at Darley Victoria and an Elvstroem cover costs $4,400 at Blue Gum Farm.

It’s hard to fault Cathy Hains when it comes to an eye for horses, after all – she did grow up surrounded by some of the best in the business.

So when the daughter of Kingston Park’s David Hains says she has a particularly impressive crop of yearlings heading to January’s Magic Millions Sale, buyers would be best served to step-up and take note.

Hains, who heads up the team at Victoria’s Burnewang North Pastoral stud farm, is set to enter her third crop of yearlings for this year’s Magic Millions sale and said she was looking forward to showcasing the product of Victoria’s booming breeding industry to our Sunshine State neighbours.

“I think that Victoria has an enormous amount to offer, I really believe there’s a great deal of depth in the Victorian breeding ranks,” Hains said.

“There are a number of young farms who are right on the front-foot the way they operate; they have some beautiful mares and are enthusiastic and are producing really impressive foals.”

Situated upon some of Northern Victoria’s most fertile soil just outside of Rochester – ‘you can grow anything here, even horses!’ Hains says – Burnewang North will be offering nine lots at the Gold Coast sale including a number of Hains’ most promising early types.

Some highlight lots from Hains’ summer draft include:

LOT 352 – ARTIE SCHILLER X KAPCHER, COLT
“This is a very high-quality family and he’s just a lovely colt. He’s a great mover and has got size and scope. Artie Schiller has only a few representatives at Magic Millions and he’s a must see kind of horse”.

LOT 421 – SEPOY X MAREE BASSE, FILLY
“This is a real two-year-old type, a real jump and run filly. She’s a good mover with a great attitude from a quality French group-placed mare. She’s one who has just leapt out of the ground over the past six months or so, she’s in great order”

LOT 552 – SMART MISSILE X RAP TALE (USA), FILLY
“She’s a lovely filly, strong, good size, scope quality. She’s from a young American stakes-winning mare and is a bit outstanding I think.”

LOT 659 – CHOISIR – SWINGING BABE, COLT“He’s a very handsome boy. He’s a big, strapping boy who has got both looks and quality on his side. He’s a brother to (Mick Price’s black-type-placed) Resistant and looks an absolutely fantastic type.”

Importantly, each of Hains’ nine available youngsters will sport both a Super VOBIS and VOBIS Gold sticker come January’s sale date, highlighting their eligibility for Victoria’s most exciting incentive schemes.

Hains was quick to point out that nominating her foals for Victoria’s most popular schemes – especially VOBIS Gold – was more important than ever in today’s racing climate.

“I think VOBIS Gold has done an enormous amount for VOBIS for, whilst Super VOBIS was an absolutely brilliant scheme, VOBIS Gold has pushed it out specifically to the owners and trainers,” she said.

“It’s been said many times by the trainers themselves that they are actively looking for that VOBIS nominated stamp in the book as they’re reaping the fruits of the very significant bonuses on offer and are realising in this day and age where racing is such an expensive discretionary pursuit, that every dollar counts and VOBIS certainly kicks in to help make winning that much more rewarding and enjoyable.”

The Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale will be held at their Gold Coast sales complex from January 7-13.

This article was first published in the December edition of Inside Racing

Country Melody was unwanted by punters before thrashing his rivals first-up in Hong Kong on Sunday.

The Written Tycoon three year-old paid $46 but won like an odds-on favourite in the Chevalier Engineering Hcp (1000m). He burst through a gap along the grandstand rail to score by more than three lengths on debut in the straight-course sprint.

Trainer John Size admitted he wasn’t keen on the gelding’s prospects, either. “I knocked back an offer to train him earlier this year because there was no room here,” Size recalled. “But Robert Smerdon, who prepared him for Price Bloodstock in Australia, insisted I make room and it turns out he was right.”

Country Melody (3g Written Tycoon – Chimerique by Choisir) was sold to the Hong Kong Country Club Syndicate after finishing second to Hi World in a Cranbourne trial in May. The winner was most recently fourth home in the G3 Carbine Club Stakes at Flemington on Derby day.

Written Tycoon stands at Woodside Park Stud and he has several smart gallopers already based in Hong Kong including Trump, All Times Lucky and Robust Momentum who have all won races there this year.

Country Melody was initially sold by Tatura-based Rushton Park breeders David and Kayley Johnson (as agent) for $40,000 at the 2013 Inglis Premier yearling sale. He is from an unraced half-sister to G1 Victoria Oaks winner Bulla Borghese.

His dam Chimerique has a 2yo Written Tycoon colt named Lightning Lord with Libby Haworth at Wangaratta.

Written Tycoon has sired the winners of 50 races in Australia this season for earnings over $1.64 million. He reached the half-century when Tycoon Jewel scored at Swan Hill on Sunday. And his Group 3 Healy Stakes winner Howmuchdoyouloveme is ready to resume after cruising home in a Rosehill trial last week.

NSW mare Brook Road graduated to a well-deserved black-type victory on the road in Brisbane on Saturday.

Sent north by trainer Kris Lees, the daughter of God’s Own won the LR Travel Classic (1200m) at Doomben by a half-length from G1 Queensland Oaks winner Tinto (Red Dazzler).

Brook Road (4m God’s Own – Cool Gal by Secret Savings) had been placed at her previous three starts in Sydney before breaking through in the $100,000 event for fillies and mares. Among those minors was a close second to Avoid Lightning in the G3 The Nivison at Randwick last month.

“I was very confident today,” jockey Jim Byrne said. “She takes a little while to pick up but then accelerates and sprints very strongly to the end.”

Initially under the care of Bart and James Cummings, she was sold to Australian Bloodstock earlier this year and now carries the same colours as Melbourne Cup winner Protectionist and Group 1 sprinter Master Of Design.

Brook Road is the 6th stakes-winner by Greta West Stud stallion God’s Own who climbed off the canvas twice to win the 2005 Caulfield Guineas for Cummings. She was bred by the master as was her three-time winning older sister Rosscarbery who was named after the County Cork birthplace of Bart’s mother Annie.

Their dam Cool Gal has a Roman Emperor colt catalogued as Lot 21 for the Inglis Classic Yearling Sale on February 8 under Bart’s Princes Farm banner.

Lees will spell Brook Road instead of staying in Brisbane for the LR Just Now Quality (1350m) in a fortnight. “It’s a pretty good effort for a lightly-raced mare to come up here and beat the best in Brisbane,” stable spokesman Mel Eggleston said. “Kris has got some nice races in mind for her at the Sydney autumn carnival.”

A winning double at Moonee Valley has completed another successful week for Eliza Park International sire Magnus.

Magnus started with a Group 1 win by Magnifisio in Perth’s Winterbottom Stakes and he popped up with Propelled and Magnus Reign on Saturday.

PROPELLED (3f Magnus – Stella Maree by Magic Ring) broke through for her first win in the Advanced Mailing Solutions Hcp (1500m) for owners Barrie and Midge Griffiths. She led throughout to record an impressive four length victory that had co-trainer Mat Ellerton looking towards better races later this season.

“We will give her a break now to target some black-type during an autumn preparation,” he said. “She’s still learning but obviously has got great ability.”

Propelled was bred by Rob Crabtree and the Dorrington Park owner has a 2yo colt and a colt foal born in September by Magnus. Their dam Stella Maree was a Listed winner of the Wiggle Quality in Sydney, Dark Jewel Classic in Scone and Glenlogan Park Stakes in Brisbane.

MAGNUS REIGN (5g Magnus – Vain Hill by Danehill) nailed the second-leg for his sire in the McMahons Dairy Hcp (1200m) at Moonee Valley. He was initially prepared by Rick Hore-Lacy and has been a regular money-spinner winning 7 races with earnings of nearly $320,000.

Now with Darren Weir, he settled midfield before launching a winning sprint in the straight. “He’s had excuses in his first couple of runs for us,” Weir said. “He galloped really well on Tuesday morning and presented here in good order.”

Magnus Reign is a younger half-brother to G1 Toorak Hcp winner Red Dazzler who is carvings out a successful career at Eureka Stud in Queensland.

Eliza Park International stands Magnus for a $16,500 (inc gst) service fee. He is third on the Victorian sires’ premiership (behind Reset & Bel Esprit) with 38 winners and progeny prizemoney of $1.78 million.

Lightly-raced five year-old Kaiser Sun improved his strike-rate to 5 wins from just 10 starts in the Tony Beddison Cup (1000m) at Moonee Valley on Saturday.

Co-trainer Mat Ellerton revealed the Danerich gelding has overcome two knee operations to make the grade in town. “He’s one of the fastest horses we’ve got in the system” Ellerton said. “It’s a case of what could have been if he was sound.

“He’s been a project. We don’t gallop him. He trots, canters, swims and goes to the races.”

Sent straight to the front by Chris Symons when racing second-up after a nine-month spell, Kaiser Sun sprinted clear in the straight to score by three-quarters of a length. “I wanted to take a sit but he didn’t,” Symons reported after weighing in. “I just allowed him to stride and he finished off really well.”

Kaiser Sun (5g Danerich – Street Princess by Keltrice) races for a syndicate managed by Epona Park’s Jeff and Janine Allis after making $42,000 at the 2011 Magic Millions National Sale. He is from an unraced half-sister to Lady Elsie (Rainbows For Life) who won the 1998 Twilight Glow Stakes at Sandown.

His sire Danerich (Danehill) stands for an $8,800 (inc gst) service fee at Eric Buttler’s Rangal Park in Euroa. Buttler sent Street Princess to Emirates Park for a cover to Al Maher last year and she delivered a colt in October.

“It doesn’t matter where we start, it’s where we finish.”

The call of the knockabout bush auctioneer was particularly pertinent as he invited onlookers, an eclectic mix of hardened stockmen, livestock traders and bargain equestrian shoppers, to place their bids at Wednesday’s Echuca Horse Sale.

For five-year-old Legion mare Elliete, one of 11 thoroughbreds offered at this week’s sale of over 120 horses, the finish was somewhat of a fairytale one.

Unlike the 10 other thoroughbreds in the sale who had each been rehomed at least once following their retirement from a racing stable, Elliete was dropped in a metal pen four days after her most recent race start, an inglorious fourth in an 800m maiden at a non-TAB meeting at Hay.

While the sale, held fortnightly at the Echuca Livestock Exchange, operates as a legitimate market to buy and sell horses of all breeds, including thoroughbreds both in and out of work, it has been known to be frequented by individuals with questionable intentions for their purchases.

Enter the leggy chestnut’s breeders Neil and Anne Garner who, after receiving a courtesy call from Racing Victoria representatives on site at Echuca to let them know that the mare was about to be offered for sale, made no hesitation in committing to buy Elliete, regardless of cost.

The battle in the ring was brief and the mare, who returned to the Garner’s Numerkah property yesterday, became theirs once again for $340, a small price to pay for peace of mind according to Anne Garner.

“She arrived yesterday morning safe and sound, and we’ve transitioned her down in to a paddock and she looks to be very happy,” Garner said.

“I was very surprised to find out that she was there, especially in those circumstances.

“Even though this wasn’t our horse, we have had horses with the trainers and I know Donna goes to a fair bit of trouble to find homes for them and has found good homes for a couple of our other horses.

“I contacted one of her trainers who said that the owner had been assured that someone would step in if the meat people were going to buy her.”

Despite being noticeably confused at Echuca amid the banging of the steel holding pens and the restless whinnies of neighbouring horses, Elliete has taken little time to settle into her new paddock life, warming quickly to the woman that once helped bring her into the world.

And Garner is confident that, given time to gain some weight, Elliete can be transitioned into a loving equestrian home, potentially as a dressage mount, where she will take little time to exceed her three modest performances on the racetrack.

“We have had quite a few horses over the years and we’ve always managed to find good homes for them to get re-educated,” Garner said.

“She (Elliete) actually is a lovely horse and once she puts some weight on I think she’ll let down into a lovely mare.

“I’ve already got someone in my mind that I’m thinking might like to take her and train her for something else, maybe for dressage.

“She seems very sensible and she’s been a pleasure to handle since she’s come home.”

Each fortnight more than 100 horses are sold across both the ridden and penned sections of the Echuca Horse Sale with an average of less than 10% of these thoroughbreds, the majority of which are older and have retired from the track long ago.

And while they might not attract the million dollar bids of the blueblood yearlings seen at some of Australia’s premier thoroughbred sales, horses at sold at the Exchange can commonly command hefty pricetags, as seen yesterday with the $3000 purchase of a talented ridden horse.

X-rays revealed no chips or fractures and an MRI revealed minor bone bruising.

Trust In A Gust has been perfectly placed by Weir while building up a tremendous strike-rate of 10 wins from 17 starts. He dominated the VOBIS Gold calendar last season collecting over $500,000 in prizemoney and bonuses before graduating to Group 1 company.

The son of Greta West stallion Keep The Faith will likely retire to stud himself for the 2015 covering season and connections are keen for him to remain in Victoria.

Rising stayer Resurrect will be set for the Group 3 Summer Cup after completing a November hat-trick in Sydney.

The progressive son of Greta West Stud stallion God’s Own has won at Randwick (2) and Canterbury this month and trainer Scott Aspery reckons he will keep improving up to 2400 metres.

“He’s filled out to 600kgs and was never going to be a two-year-old,” Asprey said. “He had time off with stress fractures early on but has met every challenge we’ve put to him this season. He’s genuine and a real tryer.”

The $125,000 Summer Cup (2000m) will be run at Randwick on Boxing Day.

Resurrect (5g God’s Own – Carnival Lass by Dehere) was the only swooper to win at Randwick’s Kensington circuit in the Swim Between The Flags Hcp (1800m) on Saturday. “We met before the last race and agreed not to change his racing pattern,” Asprey recounted. “It was a gutsy win and a super ride by Glyn Schofield.”

Bred and part-owned by brothers Andrew, Justin and Jason Mathie, he has earned over $150,000 for a partnership that also includes the White Eagle, Repus and Bang On Racing syndicates.

Angelic Lass, an older sister by God’s Own to Resurrect, won at Flemington last season among 6 victories to date for Tatura trainer Philip Evans. Their dam Carnival Lass is a half-sister to G3 Birthday Card Hcp winner Imana (Thunder Gulch).

Aspery, 31, started training at Warwick Farm four years ago after a stint with John O’Shea. His winning run can continue with Estonian Princess in the LR Festival Stakes (1500m) at Rosehill this Saturday.

Victorian Premier Dr Denis Napthine hopes to expand Victoria’s breeding industry if he is re-elected in Saturday’s State Election.

Dr Napthine, who is also the Victorian Racing Minister, revealed his desire to grow the industry by up to 30% over the next four years. “One of the things that I want to particularly target is the breeding industries,” he said. “We need through our VOBIS Gold, through VOBIS and Vicbred Platinum to grow our breeding industry.

“It will create hundreds of jobs in regional Victoria and really boost our opportunities. And when you see the races these days, regularly you see Victorian-bred horses continually winning and winning those VOBIS bonuses and those VOBIS Gold bonuses.

“There’s never been a better time to breed, buy or race a Victorian-bred horse. VOBIS Gold is the envy of other states and territories.”

Dr Napthine (pictured with Black Caviar) also hailed the trade agreement signed by the Federal Government last week with China as a development that could prove beneficial to Victoria breeders. “We’ve done a lot of work with the Federal Government in terms of opportunities for our stock that are bred here, to go overseas where there’s good market growth.

“We’re also promoting our local breeding establishments and I, as Minister and as Premier, have been on the front foot, being involved in promoting our stallions, promoting our breeding establishments here in Victoria and we will continue to do that.

“We’re seeing great results, as we’re seeing better-quality stallions being here in Victoria and we’re seeing them being retained. Often in the past, if a stallion had a couple of good seasons, they would be whisked off to the Hunter Valley. Now we’re seeing those really good stallions staying here in Victoria.”

Musk Creek Farm graduate Eisenhower kept his unbeaten record intact with a barrier-to-box victory at Randwick on Saturday.

The three year-old gelding was a fitting winner of the Inglis Premier Yearling Sale Hcp (1400m) – Musk Creek sold him to Gai Waterhouse and Denise Martin for $75,000 at Oaklands Junction last year.

Eisenhower (3g All American – Princess Chutima by Regal Classic) had won on debut at Newcastle earlier this month and he has already earned $86,000 for a Star Thoroughbreds syndicate.

“He was challenged left, right and centre, but pinned his ears back and tried really hard,” jockey Sam Clipperton said. “He was out on his feet and really had to tough it out. He will be a much better horse in six months.”

Eisenhower is the final foal of Princess Chutima who died just a few weeks after foaling the Randwick winner. Her older brother Thong Classic was a Group 2 winner of the 2002 Moonee Valley Gold Cup.

Musk Creek owner David Kobritz and his team at Flinders on the Mornington peninsula are prepping 9 yearlings for the Gold Coast Magic Millions. The Bel Esprit colt from Rubiton stakes performer Amen Ruby is the first to parade as Lot 62.

The colt is Super VOBIS nominated and his pedigree received a significant update at the spring carnival. He is from a three-quarter sister to the dam of flying filly Fontiton who won the $250,000 Inglis Banner by 6 lengths at Moonee Valley on Cox Plate day.

Larneuk Stud stallion O’Lonhro moved off the mark with brilliant debut winner Black Magic in Singapore on Sunday.

Black Magic (3g O’Lonhro – Bent Zena by Rancho Ruler) was sent out favourite for an Initiation Stakes (1200m) on the strength of a 7 length trial win but gave his supporters some anxious moments in the early stages. Settling worse than midfield three wide, he angled clear into the straight and then raced past Ninetysix Power (NZ) for a comfortable two length victory.

“He’s been with us for a while but has had a couple of setbacks,” trainer Theo Kieser revealed. “He was scoped and the vets found a big ulcer in his throat. Then he stood on a nail that went through his pedal bone. It was touch and go for a while, but thankfully, he pulled through again.

“He did a good job to win today as he did it tough. He was three to four wide and still won very well.”

Black Magic cost $54,000 from Little Plains Stud (as agent) at the 2013 Inglis Melbourne Premier. He is a half-brother to the Oamaru Force Melbourne winners Waitaki River Ben Zena.

Winning jockey Dan Beasley said the winner was still a work in progress. “He’s got a very smooth action, like a hovercraft. It’s like his feet don’t touch the ground. He’s still very green, but he’s doing the right things now and he will definitely improve with experience.”

O’Lonhro (Lonhro) was a Group 2 winner of the Chelmsford Stakes – just like his own sire who captured the same race in 2002 and 2003. Larneuk Stud owner Nev Murdoch stands him for a $5,500 (inc gst) fee.

“He’s had a half-dozen trial winners here and Greg Eurell has a nice one named Black Zorro who only just got beaten first-up at Geelong,” Murdoch said. “We’re very excited with his first crop and they will really come into their own as autumn three year-olds.”